Literally read my mind! Simple but effective! What did you use for the strut? Only concern I have is being told not to loop the wires since it's DC current.
CLEAN!!!
Post your Ground Mount Setup
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CLEAN!!!
Solarcabin Channel
Solar Addict
Good use of the panels!
I keep my electric mower under one set of panels and electric snow blower under the other set. Make use of that space.
Not all roofs are suitable for solar so a pergola, shed, workshop, or ground mount may be a better option.
I designed an open side RV cover for some guys with solar panels. Keeps the snow off the RV and they can just pull through and park.
Currently cleaning up this thread for water heater post. Please report any threads that I missed. Moving it over to the water heating section as a new thread: https://diysolarforum.com/threads/groundmount-water-heater-discussion.70985/
Please post your ground mounts! They are so awesome
Please post your ground mounts! They are so awesome
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Earlier this year I fabricated a 10kw array comprised of 40x 250 watt panels (5x8). The structure was designed by myself and review/sealed by a P.Eng.
Structure is 1.5” sch 40 pipe, panels are back bolted to 2x2 square steel tube. The entire structure is anchored to 12x helical screw piles driven 8’ deep.
After fabrication but before installation I had all the steel media blasted and hot dip galvanized for longevity.
Structure is 1.5” sch 40 pipe, panels are back bolted to 2x2 square steel tube. The entire structure is anchored to 12x helical screw piles driven 8’ deep.
After fabrication but before installation I had all the steel media blasted and hot dip galvanized for longevity.
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Hedges
I See Electromagnetic Fields!
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Has all the necessary diagonal braces.
My U/LA ground mounts are similar, except rectangular tubes not cables for longitudinal bracing.
Can you provide a closeup of the "T" connections?
How much galvanizing, and what cost?
I've observed galvanized structure materials is a significant premium over plain steel.
My U/LA ground mounts are similar, except rectangular tubes not cables for longitudinal bracing.
Can you provide a closeup of the "T" connections?
How much galvanizing, and what cost?
I've observed galvanized structure materials is a significant premium over plain steel.
Blasting was $200/hr and the zinc was $0.70 per lb (multiply by the weigh in). My array was 1,728lbs so $1,209 (Cad)
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Hedges
I See Electromagnetic Fields!
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Priced by weight of steel being galvanized, not by weight of zinc applied or surface area!
More economical if just for brackets, and pipes were bought galvanized (unless it was cheaper than the premium for galvanized pipe.)
So Tee with triangular gusset is bolted through pipe?
Have to drill in situ or measure and drill correctly in advance.
My steel Unirac Tee were pipe slipped over upright and held with setscrew, welded flat plate on top, U-bolt over cross pipe.
Later ones were injection molded aluminum with set screws. Slipped over horizontal as well, with set screws.
Easier to field fit, totally catawampus in my case.
I have plans to reorient and expand my arrays to fit newer, larger, more efficient panels. I'll probably just play erector set with what I've got, and add struts to support longer horizontals.
More economical if just for brackets, and pipes were bought galvanized (unless it was cheaper than the premium for galvanized pipe.)
So Tee with triangular gusset is bolted through pipe?
Have to drill in situ or measure and drill correctly in advance.
My steel Unirac Tee were pipe slipped over upright and held with setscrew, welded flat plate on top, U-bolt over cross pipe.
Later ones were injection molded aluminum with set screws. Slipped over horizontal as well, with set screws.
Easier to field fit, totally catawampus in my case.
I have plans to reorient and expand my arrays to fit newer, larger, more efficient panels. I'll probably just play erector set with what I've got, and add struts to support longer horizontals.
Only the horizontals are drilled in-situ but because the three horizontal levels are identical (*and all T-connection holes are CNC laser cut) it could all be drilled at the lowest level..
* I had all the gussets, brackets, weldments, and tabs CNC laser cut to save time and for consistency.
Do you have total cost including the steel and parts needed to put it together? Wondering how it compares to a Sinclair mount which has all of the steel galvanized as well.
Nobodybusiness
Solar Sponge.
$5000 which including shipping for my 40 panel array from Sinclair.
Array was $3,000 shipping $2,000.
During Covid so shipping was outrageous.
Not sure what it would be now.
My total cost (P.Eng review/seal, materials, helical anchors, hardware, and Galv) was $7,760 cad which works out to $5,650 usd.
My system is based on gabian basket ballasted ground mount. Make the baskets from 4x16 ft goat panels, then the 2 inch schedule 40 pipe is placed in the basket and several tons of rock are placed into the baskets to hold the array in place. The array is comprised of schedule 80 pipe and unistrut supporting 18 250 watt Canadian Solar panels. My array is 10 ft by 30 ft in a 9S2P configuration. I ground out the metal t's so that I could pivot the entire system for seasonal change. A 4-ft pipe wrench and about 2 minutes to change the angle as seasons change. Due to the extreme rocky soil digging was out of the question we go from bowling ball size rocks to rocks the size of small cars. I assembled the system by myself.
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SilverbackMP
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That shipping amount (I think $1500 in my case) is one reason why I ended up with my intermediate goal of 72 panels. I wasn’t going to go quite that large initially, but went ahead with three 24 panel mounts (would have been two 36 panel mounts if I had flatter ground…or at least sloping to one plane).
Jack Rabbit Off Grid
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What panels are those?
Brucey
Solar Wizard
Looks like very rocky ground.
Jack Rabbit Off Grid
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365w REC N-peak 2
Jack Rabbit Off Grid
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Yes. Took several hours per post to dig with a 2.5t excavator
My next 10 panels are going on the roof of my shipping container. I don’t care if it’s faced SW.
HalfBaked
Ever the student
Yo! I fly too! (Well not lately) Got certified at lookout mtn ga. It's been nearly 10 years, still think about it often and one day plan to make a diy version and find some bunny hills. Still crazy after all these years
ghostwriter66
"Here - Hold my Beer"
maybe a little overkill on the footing??
Jack Rabbit Off Grid
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Probably. 142 60 lb bags in total.
Zwy
Emperor Of Solar
Probably not, wind comes up the hill.
Mine are 8 feet deep and 36 inches in diameter.
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Hedges
I See Electromagnetic Fields!
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But you get those nice looking single post (or row of posts) design.
If you did tripod or otherwise had diagonal braces, it could all be 2" or so pipe, except maybe for the horizontals, and smaller footings.
You wouldn't stand with your feet together if trying to brace yourself.
If you did tripod or otherwise had diagonal braces, it could all be 2" or so pipe, except maybe for the horizontals, and smaller footings.
You wouldn't stand with your feet together if trying to brace yourself.
Nobodybusiness
Solar Sponge.
timselectric
If I can do it, you can do it.
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Could decrease the ROI by selling billboard space on the back.
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